Binding Chains
by Black Shadow Fox Shaman
Summary: She had been lost and he had to find his way again. Can Lightfoot see the light in the darkness of the times?


**Binding Chains**

**By: Black Shadow Fox Shaman**

**Okay I can't remember how old Cara was when the book took place so I'm going to guess. I'd say she was 13 when it happened. So this story takes place five years later. So she's 19 now. Even though she's still 19 she visits her Luster friends when ever she can.**

**Lightfoot paced slowly back and forth in the small clearing. Something was wrong but he couldn't place what it was. His silky tail swished back and forth in irratation. She had never been late before and it was setting his nerves on fire with worry. His uncle would laugh at him now if he saw his nephew in a twist over a human. Through their trials Lightfoot had fallen in love with his charge. He knew that it would never work but it happened all the same. Now he was afraid to let her out of his sight. Danger still lurked everwhere in her world.**

**"Stop pacing already Lightfoot," Thomas said soothingly. "She'll be here."**

**As soon as he said that Lightfoot felt a wave of pain wash over him. He knew who it was. His body stood on end and his muscles were quivering not knowing what was happing and wanting to know which direction to go. Suddenly his mother came forward.**

**"Go my son she needs you. I will change your form for the time being to make it into her world."**

**Before he could say anything he woke up laying down on the street. Pulling himself up he looked around. Bright flashing light drew him forward. Not knowing why. There in the middle of the road was a gathering of people. The scent of blood was heavy in the air to him. It made his nose twitch a small bit. Even though he was human his senses were still keen. Pushing through the crowd he saw what the commotion was. There lay the woman his life revolved around bleeding on the ground. The amount of blood leaking out of her body made him reel in fear. It was never in his nature to actually accept fear but now his body was quaking with it.**

**"Cara?" he called softly.**

**She looked around slowly. Her body was shutting down on her. He knew it too. Carefully he paced forward and scooped her up into his arms.**

**"Lightfoot?" she whispered quietly.**

**"I'm here. I'm going to take you home."**

**Her hand came up and ran through his white locks. He felt the world drift away around them leaving him in the clearing where they first met. ( i know they met the first time in the cave but I had to make it somewhere that they wouldn't be disturbed.) Her blood still pooled around them.**

**"Cara, please don't," he whispered into her ear.**

**"I'm sorry Lightfoot, I tried."**

**"Shhh, I know but please don't leave me."**

**"Lightfoot, I..."**

**"What is it?"**

**His form shifted back to his Unicorn form. She leaned heavily against his shoulder. Her arms wrapped weakly against his neck. Taking a deep breath she smelled the wind and rain in his coat. She was fading fast now.**

**"Lightfoot I love you," she whispered into his neck. "I know it could never work but I..."**

**"And I you."**

**There was no way his horn could heal her now. Death was getting ready to take her. She hand his muzzle firmly in her hands and placed a light kiss on his nose. Once her energy was spend she leaned against him and drifted off into her death. Lightfoot lay his head in her lap. Her body was growing colder. A single glistening tear dripped from his eyes. **

**The others stopped dead in their tracks at the scene that lay before them. Sadness washed through the group. Even Squijum was strangly quiet. They couldn't move towards the sad unicorn.**

**Days later...**

**Cara was buried along side his ansestors. Lightfoot stood a short distance away under the shade of an old willow. He stood proudly depsite the fact his heart weighed down with grief. The only sigh on his stress was his ears. They were laid back. Every now and then they'd flick to catch the small bit of sound. Thomas looked up to see Lightfoot standing aloofly away from them. He knew that Lightfoot had loved the girl. There was suffering written in every line of his proud form. Shaking his head he wandered back to the castle. The other went their seperate ways leaving the greiving unicorn stallion alone.**

**Lightfoot made sure that everyone was gone before he lay down on top of her grave. Tears fell unheaded down his cheeks onto the freshly upturned dirt.**

**"Cara why did you leave me?" he whispered.**

**"Know that she didn't want to Lightfoot," a soft voice whispered.**

**He didn't move his head but he knew it was Cara's Grandmother.**

**"Go away," he said weakly.**

**She had never seen a unicorn bow their head in defeat.**

**"Be strong for her Lightfoot and know that's what she wants."**

**Before he could snap at her she was hobbling away. He lay there and drifted to sleep. A sleep he wouldn't wake up from until days later. Getting up he shook himself of the dirt. Leaning his head down he sniffed the dirt.**

**"Cara know that I love you."**

**Backing up slightly he lifted his front legs up and began to whinning and paw at the air. Once his front legs touched the ground he galloped into the darkening woods.**

**Five years later.**

**Lightfoot ran through the forest flanked by a herd of four other unicorns. The two males were Skye and Shadow Dance and the females were Starfall and Silver. Not one of them knew about his past. Lightfoot plowed on into the night. The others kept up until the stallion stopped. Pain washed over him for a moment when he remembered where he was. The spot where her blood had flowed was now gone.**

**"What is this place Lightfoot?" Shadow Dance asked.**

**"No where special I just felt like stopping here."**

**The others looked at each other. If they had been human they would of shrugged. Carefully he picked his way until he stood on the exact spot the he lay before years ago. Going down on his front legs he laid himself down on the same spot. The others grazed and drank from the stream. The smallest of the two females, Silver approached him. Lightfoot sighed in annoyance. He knew she had a crush on him but his heart was already in the care of a dead woman. Thinking back now his body shuddered remembering a pain that he'd almost forgotten. Each year he was drawn back to the grave of his heart keeper. For a few hours each year he lay on her grave and whisper into the ground hoping she'd hear him. It was getting near that time.**

**"Lightfoot?" Silver called softly.**

**"Leave me alone Silver."**

**He lay down on his side.**

**"Did I do something to offend you Lightfoot?"**

**"No, but please leave me alone."**

**"Why do you allow me to keep the hope alive that I could be with you and be your mate?"**

**"I won't take a mate ever," he said softly. "My heart died with her along time ago."**

**"Are you speaking of that human girl?" she said in disgust.**

**"What did you say?" he snarled as he got up.**

**"Is that human the reason you're not going to take a mate, Lord Lightfoot?"**

**"Don't speak about her in such a way Silver. She saved the Luster from distruction."**

**Lightfoot was on the edge of attacking the mouthy female. The other had gathered around the confrontation about to happen.**

**"What's going on here?" Skye demanded.**

**"Lightfoot is pining over a human." **

**The others snorted in disgust. Lightfoot was buring in rage. Turning away Lightfoot stormed into the forest. He ran and ran until he stopped in front of water fall. Tears fell freely down his face. Leaning his head down he took a drink. When his head came up his eyes met the bluest eyes he had ever met. He stumbled backwards. **

**"Are you all right?" she asked quietly.**

**Lightfoot felt dizzy and then darkness swamped his vision.**

**A soft voice called him from the darkness.**

**"Lightfoot."**

**"Cara?" he said softly.**

**"No my Lord Lightfoot, my name is Serenity."**

**His head came up to come face to face with a beautiful mare. Her fur was white as snow but her mane and horn was silver. Her head tossed as she backed up to allow him to get up. He was still unstable on his feet. She allowed him to lean against her. They moved until they were under the shade of an old willow tree. They laid down together. His head rested on her shoulder. Then a familiar pain washed over him. Leaning over he took his weight off Serenity's shoulder.**

**"Is something wrong my Prince?" she asked softly.**

**"Nothing."**

**He laid down on his side and his mind drifted to the past. Serenity shook her head and rose to her feet. She knew about Lightfoots love for the human girl. What he failed to realize what stood before him. Serenity raised up on her hindlegs and began to rear and whinny to the sky.**

**"You're a fool then Lightfoot. After all this time you spent in the past. You can't see what's before you."**

**"What would you know?" **

**He rose swiftly and stood ready to battle the mare. His ears were laid back.**

**"I know enough not to dwell in my past Lightfoot even though I died five years ago."**

**Lightfoots ears twitched. Cara died five years ago. Shaking himself.**

**"Then leave me alone."**

**"I can't do that Lightfoot."**

**"Why?"**

**She turned away from him.**

**"Because I love you. I always have. They granted me a curse the day I died."**

**"What's that?"**

**"To remember my human existance."**

**She feld into the forest. It took only a moment for him to register what it was that she had said. One name graced his head as he took off after her, _'Cara.'_. It didn't take long for him to catch up with her. His strides were longer. He stopped right in her path. She crashed right into him. Serenity struggled to get out from underneath him.**

**"Lightfoot please get off of me."**

**"Only when you answer my questions."**

**"Get off me."**

**"Why do you claim to love me?"**

**"Because you stupid unicorn I fell in love with you when we were traveling to go see your mother."**

**She managed to land a good kick on his shoulder. To stop her he bit her neck gently. She froze on the spot.**

**"Prove to me that you are who you say are."**

**"When you were human you're hair was ice white and your eyes as deep blue as they are now."**

**He reeled back. Only Cara saw him as his human self. She took the chance and shoved him off her body. Getting up she put a good distance between herself and the stallion she loved. Lightfoot slowly stood. With careful steps he made his way to her side. He nuzzled her neck and shoulders. Her muscles quivered.**

**"Don't be afraid," he whispered.**

**"Lightfoot."**

**"I've missed you," he whispered.**

**"And I you."**

**The unicorn pair stood there for a long time until the sun was ready to set. Lightfoot carefully laid down. Serenity lay against him. Sleep took over her mind. He remained awake to watch her sleep. Wonder filling him. He heard unicorn hooves hitting the ground. The herd he left behind came pacing into the clearing. Lightfoot got up and stood in front of Serenity to protect her.**

**"What's this Lightfoot?" Skye asked.**

**"My mate," he snapped.**

**He wouldn't let anyone approach the sleeping mare. Silver stormed off into the woods with Shadow Dance on her heels.**

**"Good luck Lightfoot," Starfall told him.**

**"Yeah, buddy good luck."**

**The other two left the pair alone. Lightfoot fell into a peaceful sleep next to his mate to be dreaming of the life they'd live, together. **


End file.
